Gloucestershire Governors Association

GLOUCESTERSHIRE GOVERNORS’ ASSOCIATION

REVISED CONSTITUTION, ADOPTED 9th June 2008

1.Name

1.1The organisation will be entitled “Gloucestershire Governors’ Association”.

2.Aims

2.1To further the education and achievement of the five outcomes of Every Child Matters for all children in Gloucestershire schools

2.2Promote co-operation and collaboration between Gloucestershire schools in order to raise standards and make effective use of resources.

2.3Act as the representative forum in reflecting the views and opinions of the broad body of Gloucestershire Governors; co-opting NGA support as necessary and pressing the Local Authority for action where required.

2.4Act as a non-party political and non-sectarian forum for the exchange of information relating to the needs and interests of Gloucestershire schools.

2.5Act as a consultative body on behalf of Gloucestershire governors with the aforementioned authorities alongside other organisations such as the Gloucestershire Heads’ Associations.

2.6Organise events and representation in support of Gloucestershire governors’ needs and those of the pupils and schools.

2.7Provide a network for sharing information and good practice in the forwarding of school aims and values

2.8Liaise with the Governor Support Team on any matters that relate to the recruitment, training and support of Governors and the execution of their duties and responsibilities.

2.9Maintain membership of, or liaise with, such national organisations as the National Governors’ Association.

2.10Monitor the changing role and needs of Governors in the face of trends and new statutory requirements and take a proactive stance in ensuring these changes are challenged and/or supported.

3.Principles

3.0Membership of the Association will comprise those school governing bodies, which decide to affiliate by paying the subscription detailed on the traded services questionnaire managed by the local authority. Each such governing body will have equal rights including voting rights. All Governors in Gloucestershire will have the right to attend GGA open meetings and events, receive the electronic newsletter and access the website, whether or not their Governing body has opted to affiliate.

3.2While all Governors are free to attend GGA open meetings and other events, only affiliated governing bodies are entitled to participate in any votes required and each shall have only one vote, irrespective of the number of attendees.

3.3The Association will be independent of any political party and will welcome the participation of governors irrespective of their role in, or membership of any political party.

3.4Members of the Association will be expected to show respect for the integrity with which other members hold views that might differ from their own.

3.5The Association will be a member of the National Governors Association.

4.Meetings

4.1The Annual General Meeting to be held during June at which resolutions from governing bodies will be considered.

4.2Each Annual General meeting will:

Consider and debate a report from the Executive committee on its years work
Consider and resolve proposals submitted by affiliated governing bodies or the executive committee.
Consider any proposals to change the constitution of which at least 14 days notice has been given to the executive committee.
Elect members of the Executive Committee. Those standing will be required to declare at the meeting any personal interests, which would or could cause a conflict of interest.
Receive a report of accounts from the treasurer.
Review affiliation fees.
Appoint an independent Auditor if required
Conduct any other business as may be determined by the Executive Committee or the Annual General Meeting.

4.3Between Annual General Meetings the affairs of the Association will be decided by the Executive Committee, which will be responsible for:

Implementing Annual General Meeting decisions.
Giving leadership on the issues of the day
Providing GGA representatives to sit on a range of Committees, Panels, Forums and ad hoc bodies
Meeting regularly with officers of the LA to progress matters and raise issues
Responding as required to proposals and initiatives from individual governing bodies, the Local Authority and others
Issuing a regular termly newsletter to keep all Governing bodies informed of current events
Maintaining a GGA website as the repository of all Association minutes and other papers with links to other relevant sites
Setting annual goals to target executive effort and give a focus for improvement. Progress against these will be communicated in the termly GGA newsletter.
Organising a termly open meeting on a topic of current interest to Governors. Apart from the AGM, these will normally be organised jointly with the LA.
Overseeing the finances of the Association by setting and monitoring an annual budget.

The Executive Committee will meet at least 3 times/year, the remainder of the business being conducted by email.

4.4 Additional Assemblies may be called to consider special and immediate concerns whether by the Executive Committee or at the request of two or more affiliated governing bodies.

4.5The quorum required for any votes at an AGM or an EGM shall be twenty governing bodies, all of whom must be paid up members at the time.

4.6The Executive Committee shall draw up the agenda for each Annual General Meeting. The agenda for the Annual General Meeting must include any resolutions from two or more governing bodies submitted to the Executive Committee at least two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.

4.7The Agenda for the Annual General Meeting will be sent out not less than two weeks prior to the meeting to all affiliated Governing Bodies

5.Officers and Executive Committee

5.1Each Annual General Meeting will elect by ballot the members of the Executive Committee of the Association. Nominations may be submitted by affiliated governing bodies or by the outgoing Executive Committee, not later than fourteen days prior to the Annual General Meeting. If insufficient nominations have been received to fill all the posts, nominations can be accepted in person at the AGM, provided each is seconded by the representative of another governing body, also present.

5.2The Executive Committee will consist of up to sixteen officers. This will be broken down as follows: four main officers and twelve officers a minimum of which will ideally be three secondary school representatives, three primary school representatives, one special school representative and the remainder from a fair geographical spread of the county if at all possible.

5.3The Main Officers are the Chair, Vice-Chair, Minute Secretary and Treasurer.

5.4The term of office is for four years, with at least three members of the Executive Committee being re-elected every year.

5.5The Executive Committee can co-opt members as the committee considers to be necessary and sees fit. This can include former governors who can serve for up to 2 years after their time as a governor has ceased.

5.6The Executive Committee will appoint such sub-committees and/or negotiating teams from its own membership as may be required.

5.7The Executive Committee may also appoint representatives to national and/or regional organisations and conferences in order to further the aims of the Association.

5.8A quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be not less than one third of its total actual membership.

6.Finance

6.1The Executive Committee will as necessary maintain a bank/building society account in the name of the Association. Withdrawals are to be made on the signature of two officers.

6.2All monies will be applied to furthering the objectives of the Association and for no other purpose. Expenses will be paid in the following circumstances, if finances permit, and on a scale published in the GGA Expenses Policy:

Officers or other representatives attending Association Executive meetings
Officers or other representatives on Association business authorised by the Executive Committee
Guest speakers at open GGA meetings

6.3The financial year will be from the 1st April to 31st March.

6.4The Executive Committee will require the accounts to be audited, or independently examined as appropriate, annually. The accounts will then be presented at the next Annual General Meeting following the end of the financial year.

7.Alterations to the Constitution

7.1Alterations to the Constitution will require a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a quorate meeting of which 21 days notice must be given to each affiliated governing body and representative.

8.Dissolution

8.1If the Executive Committee decides by a simple majority to propose the dissolution of the Association, it will call a special meeting, giving not less than fifty days notice. If a simple majority of those attending agrees, the Association will be dissolved. If the meeting is inquorate a further meeting will be called, not less than one month after the first. If that second meeting is inquorate, the Association shall be deemed to be dissolved. Any assets will be transferred to such other non-profit making body having aims and objectives similar to those of the Association as the Executive Committee determines.

Adopted on 9th June 2008 at the GGA AGM at which representatives from 49 member bodies were present.